1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data delivery system, a data receiving apparatus, and a storage medium suitable for use in a video on demand system which can deliver video data in accordance with for example a request generated at any time.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has long been a demand for realization of a practical video on demand (VOD) system which can instantaneously provide a video program in accordance with the request of a receiver. A VOD system able to individually respond to requests generated at any time, however, would require an extremely large sized data transmitting apparatus performing complex processing.
Therefore, a near video on demand (NVOD) system which enables the configuration of the data transmitting apparatus to be simplified while realizing a similar function to that of a VOD system has been proposed. The NVOD system which has been proposed heretofore is a system that transmits a certain program to a plurality of channels at predetermined time intervals, selects a channel at which that program is started at the start at the next time zone in response to a request generated in a certain time zone, and provides that program.
Such an NVOD system, however, due to its basic setup, of courses results in a certain waiting time before the receiver can starts to view the desired program. This waiting time is tedious for the receiver. Therefore, instantaneous response equivalent to that of a true VOD system is now desired for NVOD systems as well.